Hotcap



Dec. 19, 1933. w. R. SCHINDLER HOTCAP Filed March 1, 1930 Patented Dec.19, 1933 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 6 Claims.

This invention relates to hotcaps, and is an improvement on thedisclosure of Patent No. 1,701,797, granted to me on February 12, 1929,for hotcap. V

' An important object of this invention is the absorbing and holding ofthe heat of the sun by the hotcap so that the growth of the plant, overwhich the hotcap is positioned, is materially aided.

Another important object is to make it possible to employ exceedinglythin paper so that the suns rays can readily pass through said paperinto the interior of the hotcap.

. Other objects and advantages will appear in the subjoined detaileddescription.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hotcap constructed in accordancewith the provisions of go this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the hotcap.

Figure 3 is a fragmental plan view, partly in section, on the lineindicated by 3--3, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the hotcap comprises a hollow conical member 4provided with a horizontally extending flange 5 over which the soil ispushed by a suitable tool so as to anchor the hotcap in place over theseed or plant that is to be protected.

The hotcap may be manufactured from any suitably shaped blank as, forexample, an octagonal blank, as described in the above mentioned patent.The hotcap may be pressed with suitably shaped dies so as to produce anumber. of taperedpleats 6 in the member 4. The pleats 6 expanddownwardly from the top of the member 4 to the bottom thereof, thenceoutwardly to the outer edge of the flange 5.

It is to be understood that the exact shape of the member 4 isimmaterial, in so far as this invention is concerned, but one of theimportant features of construction is that a section 7 of the member 4is of relatively thin translucent material while another section 8 ofthe member 4 is of relatively thick material. For example, the sections7, 8 may be constructed of paper of different thicknesses. Preferablythe section 7 will be made of such material as thin paraffin waxedpaper, while the section 8 is also preferably made of parafiln waxedpaper of a much heavier or thicker grade so as to serve as a support forthe dome-shaped member 4, even though the hotcap should be moistenedby'rain or dew. One of the sections overlaps the other and, in thisinstance, the section 8 overlaps the section 7. The sections are ofapproximately the same size, although in the drawing section 8 has beenshown slightly larger than section 7, and it will be seen that the band9, where the overlap occurs, passes across the middle of the member 00 4so as to act to further stiffen this portion of the member 4 to aid inmaintaining the same in fully expanded position. That portion of thethinner section 7 that is not covered by the section8 constitutes awindow 10 through which a 6i relatively large amount of sun-heat canreadily pass into the interior of the hotcap.

Another important feature of the construction is that the section 8, orat least some portion of it, is constructed to be highly absorbent andretentive of heat and, for this purpose, said section 8, or at least aportion thereof, is colored or blackened, as indicated by the network oflines in said Fig. 1.

To use the invention hereinbefore described, the hotcap will be placedover the seed or plant and the flange 5 will be weighted with soil so asto prevent the hotcap from being displaced by the wind. Preferably, thehotcap Will be positioned with the window 10 facing that portion of theheavens that is traversed by the sun so that the direct rays of the sunwill pass through the window and warm the earth beneath the hotcap. Thisheat will not so readily radiate through the hotcap because of theblackened or colored portion thereof. Furthermore, whatever direct raysof the sun strike the blackened portion, the heat will be more readilyabsorbed and retained thereby so as to maintain the temperature withinthe hotcap somewhat higher than the external temperature.

I claim:

1. A hotcap comprising a hollow sectional member, one section being oflight-transmitting material and being thinner than the other section,and said other section being blackened.

2. A hotcap comprising a hollow sectional member, the sectionsconstructed of different thicknesses of paper, one section overlappingthe other across the middle of the member to form a stiffening band.

3. A hotcap comprising a hollow sectional member, the sections being ofWaxed paper of different thicknesses, and the thicker section beingcolored. v

4. A hotcap comprising a member shaped to cover and enclose a plant,said member having walls-of flexible translucent material, substantialareas of the wall being sufficiently thick to be no of said cap will beabsorbed, thereby heating said cap.

6. A hotcap comprising a hollow inverted cup shape sectional member, thesections constructed of paper, one section overlapping the othercompletely across the middle of the member to form a stiffening band.

WALTER R. SCHINDLER.

